Anything to Come
by Kurenai-Takusen
Summary: Haru returns after 3 years to the Bureau to find the secrets within her heart.
1. Chapter 1

_**Anything to Come**_

_**By Yuki Okada**_

"_No...stop."_

_The knife was there, pushed up against her throat as she held her head high, keeping her muscles tight. She didn't know who was holding her, but she knew the matter dealt with her life. _

"_No! Baron, don't come any closer... please! You'll get yourself hurt!"_

_There he was... the fur luminous even in the dark, the eyes shining and yellow, his top hat squaring above his head. He was inching closer, reaching out for Haru..._

"_Haru... I must."_

"_No! Baron! Don't! Please stop!" Haru was crying now. She was determined to be strong until her end, but she was breaking down slowly._

_Baron's eyes flashed over to the girl._

"_Goodbye, Haru," he whhispered, nodding to her._

_The Baron lunged at the one holding Haru, then there was a glint of light on the knife and a swing of Baron's staff and all was silent. Haru held her breath and looked down. There lay Baron with a slash through his heart and an unidentifiable creature with a crack in it's head and blood streaming down his face. _

_Haru choked back a sob then flung her head away, running at full speed in the opposite direction. Tears flew and made swirling rivers on her dirt powdered cheeks. She ran and ran, never stopping until she was out of breath._

_---------------------------------------------------_

She awoke with a start, sweat forming below her hairline. She sat up and closed her eyes, trying to shake the image of a dead Baron out of her mind. Her eyelids squeezed together, she was breathing hard, the sheet twisted in her hands and in between her legs. She pulled herself out of bed, putting slippers on and running out of her room and the house in the dead of night.

She still had her pajamas on and the breeze made her shiver. She wrapped her arms around herself and ran, ran like she had in the dream. Her breath came in short gasps as her slippers slammed against the pavement on the crossroads. The path was so complicated though Haru remembered it distinctly and clearly in her mind.

She had to see... she had to see for herself...

After what seemed like hours, Haru found herself stepping into the region she knew as the Cat Bureau. A single light softly but barely illuminated the small houses. A heavy rain started to and she closed her eyes and sighed, breathing in the luscious smell.

She kneeled on the ground, looking up at the sky and waiting.

* * *

A/N: Yeah. Sorry for such a short chapter, but I felt it was right to start off with a short chapter. I hope you don't mind it. I will update as soon as I can. I have somewhat of a writers block but it will go away eventually. Please review, I want to know what you think. Yuki 


	2. Chapter 2

_**Anything to Come**_

_**-**_

_**-Chapter Two-**_

* * *

"_...And the Bureau's doors will be open for you, be it day or night."_

'Baron, why am I here?'

"_Until then... trust yourself!"_

'Baron, why do I feel I cannot trust myself to be here? I feel... empty...'

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Haru's face was positioned towards the ground, and you couldn't tell if it was rain or tears dripping down her cheeks. She was quietly murmuring under her breath, eyes pushed closed.

"Why am I here? I feel like I want something... but that seems so selfish... I... need... something..."

Haru realized she had shrunk, as she had three years ago. She felt the strange feeling in her stomach.

"What is it you need, Haru?"

Haru's eyes shot open and she threw her head around to look up over her shoulder. There he was, top hat pulled slightly over his face, holding his cane beneath his arm. He lifted his head, and a glint came across his eyes, yellow in the dark light.

"Baron!" Haru exclaimed.

She stood and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He kept his solemn face but put his arms around her as well, then stepping back, nodded to her and gestured towards the first place Haru had ever set foot in when she had come to the Bureau. His house.

"Haru, I suggest we go inside. I do not think you wish to become sick."

Haru shook her head and they went inside, Haru looking at her feet the whole time.

Baron looked at her once they were under the roof, taking off his hat and coat and hanging them up on a coat rack.

'_She has not changed,' _he thought.

Haru looked to him, waiting for something to break the akward silence. She blushed, remembering she was still in her pajamas, tugging on the bottom of her shirt to straighten herself up.

"You should get dried off before you catch cold," Baron suggested.

Haru nodded, then asked, "Do you have a bathroom?"

Baron flicked on the light switch and said, "Yes, down the hall, the third door on the left. In the meantime, I shall be preparing tea and cake."

Haru smiled, remembering the last time she had been here. She had been kid napped before she had been able to eat the cake Baron and Muta were readying. She supposed it would taste good. As did Baron's tea.

Haru cleaned and warmed herself by taking a hot bath She sank deep into the water and bubbles, holding her breath.

'_I'm here. I'm in Baron's house. I'm going to talk to him... to tell him... No! I can't! If I do, that will change things forever... because I don't even know if that is how I feel. For three years I have kept the Bureau in the back of my mind, trying not to think about it, not to feel sad that I couldn't go back... couldn't go back because that would ruin everything... my life... no, I couldn't... but I'm here now... why am I so confused...?'_

Just at that moment, Haru realized she was nearly out of breath. Her eyes widened and she sat up with a jolt, throwing water out of the bathtub and onto the tile floor. She choked and gasped for breath, holding her head and tryingto steady herself.

She finished her bath and made her way into the living room. Baron was sitting, holding a cup of tea in between his gloved hands. He looked up at Haru and smiled at her.

"I trust you had a good soak?"

Haru smiled and nodded.

Baron set down his cup of tea and placed Haru's in front of her and offered her cake. She refused and took a sip of tea, loving the taste. Baron watched her.

"Haru, there must be a reason you came here."

Haru looked up at Baron and sighed, setting her cup down with shaky hands. "Yes," she said, letting out a breath and nodding. Baron sat back and placed his hands in his lap, waiting.

"Go on please, Haru."

"Well..." she hesitated, "I... have missed you and Muta. I have missed Toto and Yuki and Lune... I missed... everyone, Baron. It's almost like heartbreak... and... tonight I had a dream..." Haru cut off there.

Baron raised an eyebrow. "Please continue, I am curious to why this dream led you here this night..."

Haru looked at her hands, then went on, "I... You... you were killed..." She didn't say anymore. She didn't need to.

She heard a crash and jerked her head up, looking at Baron.

He was sitting there, rigid, staring, eyes wide.

"No..." he whispered.

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, this was mostly a preparation chapter, putting a couple of things together, the boring stuff. I promise there'll be some action in the next chapter. Sorry for the cliffie. X3-shot- 

Kurenai-Takusen


	3. Chapter 3

Anything to Come

-

-Chapter Three-

* * *

The Baron clenched his hand over the arm of his chair, taking a deep, shaky breath and staring straight into Haru's eyes. Haru had never seen the Baron like this... He almost seemed angry. She withdrew slightly, though at the same time keeping her eyes plastered on his, never looking away. She didn't want to seem weak. No, she didn't want to seem scared. Scared... of the Baron, she didn't want to admit she was. She didn't want to be. Her teeth pulled her lower lip inwards and she tasted blood, triggering the image of Baron... covered... in red. Haru bit down again, scrunching her eyes up, trying so hard not to cry. 

The Baron remained still, rigid, upright, the hair all over his body bristling.

_'She... she had this dream... how? It couldn't... be her. No. It's all wrong,'_ he thought, eyes wide. "It's all wrong!" he shouted out loud, causing Haru to jump, tears being released and running down her face, puddling on the polished wood table, staining temporary spots on the bamboo green satin of her pajamas. The Baron clenched his jaw shut. He did not mean to yell. He did not mean to.

"Haru... I'm sorry, I was just... I was thinking of something different... something else," he pushed, watching her face as it pointed downwards. She shook her head, very slightly and quietly at first, but the motion grew bigger with each swing, and soon she was thrashing her head, almost screaming.

"No Baron! You were thinking exactly of what I said, I know it! I know you were, you were thinking of me! Me! Something's wrong because of ME!" Her last word was truly screamed. The Baron scrambled for one inward breath, grabbing it, holding on to it in horror, almost afraid to let go of it as if it was the last breath of his life. His eyes stung as he made them look calm, wise... unafraid. He let go of the breath slowly, steadily... silently. Haru was gripping the table in frustration and agony, her fingers destroying the perfect dome of a fallen tear.

"...Don't lie Baron. Something is terribly wrong, isn't it...?" she lowered her face once again, breathing in tiny, shallow, loud gasps, hiccups, tears still lingering in her eyelashes. She wiped them away as if she were truly annoyed with them and not herself. The inside of her head was clashing, throwing thoughts against the walls and watching them burst and fall, only to be replaced by fresh ones of new and growing importance. She lowered her face onto the table, closing her eyes and taking a deep, strong but yet weak, breath.

"I know it," she whispered, almost to herself, though loud enough so the Baron could hear, but just barely. She sighed, pulled her lips together and sat up straighter, still leaning on the table for support. She was weak. But the Baron was not looking at her face. He was looking at his hands.  
This was a side of the Baron Haru had never seen before... and she didn't like it. It was not like him in the slightest bit.

Haru saw a huge flash of black to her right and the Baron straightened up as she whipped her head towards the blur, finding it on the balcony above. She was glad her tears were wiped away, for it was someone she hadn't seen in three years. She smiled as happily as she could up at Toto,  
her eyes flinching with the slightest unhappiness. Toto, smiled back, muttered something unidentifiable between what Haru remembered him calling his "special berries". Haru shook her head and watched as he teetered towards the side and grabbed the berries with a talon, removing them from his beak. He spoke once again,

"I came to see what all the commotion was. Nice to see you again Haru!"

Haru flinched and avoided the first subject, replying just to the second,

"It's very nice to see you again too Toto! It's been three years now."

"Has it really?" he asked, tilting his head and looking puzzled. He shrugged, or at least what you could gather as shrugging, from a bird. "You can never really estimate time here," he laughed.  
"Hmm," Haru smiled and nodded, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Baron, who was looking at Toto normally, as if everything had been fine moments before the feathered one appeared. At that moment, a loud voice ruptured the silence,

"Well well, look what we have here."

"Mutaaaaaaaaaaa!" Haru recognized, shooting out of her chair and flinging herself onto the white cat, walking on two legs as if it was as normal as a train stopping at a station. "Oof!" was all anyone could hear. Well, that and a loud crash... but that was only Muta falling.

Haru stuck out her tongue and patted Muta's belly, making a few loud thumps.

"Good to see ya again, Fatso!" she exclaimed, giving a final drum.

Muta glared at Haru, who only grinned back at him, and muttered as he sat up. Toto laughed in his shrill bird voice, and thus,

"Shut up, bird brain," Muta growled.

"Hee, Fatso," Toto used Haru's nickname for Muta and stuck out his tongue. "Mehhh!"

"Bird brain."

"Can't you ever come up with anything different?"

"I could if you would ever shut your yappy mouth."

"MY yappy mouth? Look who's talking, Mr. NeverShutsUpAndAlwaysHasToSaySomething."

Haru snorted at first, which turned into giggling, which turned into laughing, which turned into bellowing. Soon the whole room was laughing, even the Baron, who looked remotely happier than earlier. After a while, the thought of the dream had slipped away from the four, burying itself beneath the cushions of the couch like a lost dollar, only to reappear when a hand is swept beneath the fluff, finding it, removing it and letting it live once again in the world.


	4. Chapter 4

Anything to Come

-

Chapter Four

* * *

The Baron's eyes flicked to the large, magnificent grandfather clock in the corner. It was nearly 3 in the morning, according. Haru was slumped on the couch, smiling, eyes barely open as she talked with Muta about a bakery on the crossroads with wonderful cakes that he took occasionally to enjoy in the sun. Toto yawned and staggered a bit up on the balcony, ruffling his feathers and becoming still, only his eyes moving as he watched the others. 

"I think I have a slight desire to rest about now," Baron yawned, his eyes watering a bit. He tapped his cane on the carpeted floor, making everyone else look at him. The three nodded in agreement, Toto bidding all goodnight and swooping out the open window. Muta waved and wandered out the door, muttering, "Cake.. Cake cake." Haru giggled and wondered if he was already sleepwalking. "Night, kid, Baron," he called as he shut the door behind him. "Night, Muta," they replied, Haru glancing at Baron.

Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Baron staring right back at her, still seated properly in his chair. "Eehh," she uttered, smiling in an embarrassed way at the Baron. He merely nodded and tapped his polished cane once more before rising.

"You can stay in the guest room. Down the hall and the second door on the right. I hope you sleep well." He lowered his head the slightest bit and was off down the hall, and Haru soon heard a door shut. She sighed sleepily and stood up, looking around for a light switch. She supposed she should turn off the lights and not leave them on all night. After searching for around 5 minutes, Haru found nothing and decided it wasn't too horrible to leave the lights on. She would merely explain to Baron in the morning. She yawned and stepped into the hall, and as soon as she did so, the lights in the living room clicked off. Haru jumped and froze for a minute, then laughed silently at her paranoia. She continued on her way, tucking a fallen strand of hair behind her ear. As she entered the room, she found it quite to her liking and was completely comfortable to go to sleep in this quiet room. Though it was not all quiet, for she thought she heard the faint flip of pages as Baron worked away in silence somewhere in the house, though on what Haru did not know.

-----------------------

As morning approached, Haru found herself wide awake and staring out the window at the sky of purples, pinks and blues, wondering where it all ended and where it all began. IF it even ended or began. That was the funny thing about the sky. The pastels and smooth watercolors, they all blended together and... they always seemed right. She let out a small, contented sigh and thought about the night before. She automatically grew sad though, as she thought of the conversation before the fun had begun. Something was wrong, Haru could see it in Baron's eyes ever since she had told him of her previous dream. And something was wrong because of her.

Haru turned over under the warm comforter, pulling the heavy but soft blanket up, as it had sunken. She then lay there, still and silent, all but her breathing moving the material. She became aware of her cheek pushed into softness. She smelt that clean smell, a smell that was almost like rain. She heard crickets, and she saw the dark as she closed her eyes and drifted back off to sleep.

-----------------------

When she woke again, Haru sat up, knowing she did so too fast because her head started to spin and hurt and her feet and fingers were numb. "Stupid dizziness," she murmered, whacking her head and straightening her twisted pajamas as she stepped on the soft carpet. She opened the wooden door, only hearing a slight creak as she pulled. She slipped down the hall in her socks, tugging at her hair and rubbing her sleep-worn face. As she appeared in the dining room, Haru looked to Baron, sitting at the table with a newspaper.

"Mnngoooodmoorning," Haru grumbled at Baron's back, yawning.

Though Haru couldn't see it, Baron smiled and asked, ruffling the pages of the paper, "Did you sleep well, Haru?"

"Yup," she replied as she stretched and plopped into the chair across from him.

"What would you like for breakfast?" the Baron asked, folding his paper neatly (which was completely like Baron) and dropping it on the living room table as he made his way to the kitchen. Haru didn't have to reply, for soon she heard the sizzle of bacon and the clanks and clinks as Baron cracked eggs and prepared tea. Haru stayed in her seat, but let her voice waft to Baron in the kitchen, assuming he could hear her words winding from the dining room.

"Baron...?"

"Yes Haru?"

"I just wanted to bring up the discussion we were having last night. About my dream."

The kitchen activity stopped for a moment, then continued, a single word accompanying it.

"Don't."

Haru bit her lip. "Why not?"

"Because it just brings about a bad mood," Baron replied, carrying two plates into the dining room as he said so. He went back to the kitchen, returning with silverware. As Haru took hers, she said, "Well I think I need to know why you were so scared. Or else I will never be sound, Baron."

The Baron just looked at her and sat down to eat, taking a tiny bite of scrambled eggs and a sip of tea, pushing the pot across the table to Haru. She accepted it and looked back and forth at Baron and the tea cup as she poured, being careful not to spill the confidence in either task.

She heard a sigh as she glanced back at her cup.

Meanwhile Baron was thinking.

Oh was he thinking.

'_Why does she have to be the one... to kill me?'_


End file.
